Chicago Moving Costs and Security Deposits in 2027: Get Your Old Deposit Back and Find Help With the Next One
Moving in Chicago usually means paying for two places at once. You're waiting on the old landlord to return your deposit while the new one wants a deposit or move-in fee, first month's rent and application fees up front. For a lot of families, that gap is what makes a move impossible.
Chicago gives tenants stronger deposit protections than most cities, and there are a few programs that will pay a deposit outright if you qualify. Here's how to get your old deposit back on time, and where to look for help with the new one.
Your Old Deposit: The Chicago Rules
Most Chicago rentals are covered by the Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (RLTO). Owner-occupied buildings with six or fewer units are generally exempt, so check that first. If your unit is covered, your landlord must:
Give you a signed receipt when you pay the deposit. It must show the owner's name, the date and a description of the unit.
Pay you interest every year on a deposit held more than six months. The city sets the rate each January. For 2026 it's 0.01%, so the interest is tiny. The paperwork rules still matter, though.
Send an itemized list of damages within 30 days after you move out, before taking anything out of your deposit for damage.
Return the rest within 45 days after you move out, minus unpaid rent and properly documented damage.
After a fire, return the deposit within seven days of when you give notice that you're ending the lease.
If a landlord doesn't follow these rules, the RLTO lets you seek two times the deposit plus interest. That's a strong reason for most landlords to settle once you point to the law.
How to Protect Your Deposit When You Move Out
Take dated photos and video of every room on move-out day, including inside the fridge, oven and closets.
Give your forwarding address in writing. Email works, and it gives you proof of the date.
Count the days. Mark day 30 and day 45 on your calendar.
Send a demand letter if day 45 passes. Cite the RLTO, the amount owed and a deadline to pay. Keep a copy.
Get free help if they still won't pay. The Law Center for Better Housing offers free legal help to eligible renters at (312) 347-7600. Its free Rentervention chatbot walks you through tenant problems if you text "hi" to (866) 773-6837.
Deposit vs. Move-In Fee: Know What You're Paying
Many Chicago landlords charge a nonrefundable move-in fee instead of a security deposit. Illinois courts have held that a fee that's clearly nonrefundable and isn't held as security doesn't count as a deposit. That means the 45-day return rule and the interest rule don't apply. You won't get it back.
A move-in fee is often smaller than a full month's deposit, which can make moving in cheaper. Just know which one you're paying, and get it in writing. If a lease calls something a "fee" but also says it can be used for damages, ask a legal aid office whether it's really a deposit.
Help Paying a New Deposit
City of Chicago Rental Assistance Program (DFSS). Chicago's Department of Family and Support Services mostly helps with past-due rent. Its 2026 FAQ also says it can pay a security deposit of up to two months' rent, plus application fees, in certain situations:
a fire or flood
moving two or more times in the past 90 days for financial reasons
staying with someone else because of financial hardship
an eviction notice
paying for a hotel or motel yourself
living in an overcrowded SRO or efficiency unit
leaving a publicly funded institution
fleeing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking
To qualify, you must live in Chicago with household income at or below 30% of the area median income, and the landlord has to take part. For help with the application, call (312) 743-0300 to find your nearest Community Service Center (open weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
All Chicago Emergency Financial Assistance. All Chicago combines state homeless prevention money with private funds. It can cover rent or mortgage payments, security deposits, utility bills and other emergency housing costs. To start, call 311 and ask for "short-term assistance," or visit a partner agency such as the Law Center for Better Housing at 100 N. LaSalle St.
CHA voucher holders with kids. If you have a Chicago Housing Authority voucher and a child 16 or younger, CHA's Mobility Counseling Program helps you move to designated "Mobility Areas." These are neighborhoods with lower poverty and crime. The program offers an incentive of up to $1,000 toward a security deposit, move-in fee or moving costs. It also includes help finding a unit and workshops. Families already living in a Mobility Area, or who used the program before, can't get the $1,000. Ask your CHA caseworker or visit thecha.org/mobility.
Cutting the Rest of Your Moving Costs
Ask the new landlord about a payment plan for the deposit or move-in fee. Small landlords especially will sometimes split it over two or three months.
Time your move. Most Chicago leases start on the first of the month, so movers and rental trucks are busiest and priciest around then. A mid-month move can be cheaper if both landlords agree.
Don't pay application fees on listings you haven't seen. Rental scams often ask for a deposit or fee before showing the unit.
Related Guides
If moving costs are crowding out food and bills, these Chicago guides list churches and nonprofits that can help:
Closing Thoughts
The money stuck in your old apartment is often the down payment on your next one. Document your move-out, count to 45 days and push back in writing if your landlord stalls. If you're starting from zero, call 311 for short-term assistance. Ask specifically about deposit help, which isn't something most people know the city offers.
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